Card shuffling device



April 30, 1957 J. w. ADAMS 2,790,641

CARD SHUFFLING DEVICE Filed Nov. 16/ 1953 5 She ets-Sheet 1 April 30,1957 Filed Nov. 16. 1953 J. w. ADAMS 2,790,641

CARD SHUFFLING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I l April 30, 1957 J. w. ADAMS2,790,641

CARD SHUFFLING DEVICE Filed Nov. 16, 1953 4 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 EINVENTOR.

This invention relates to card shuflling devices, and particularly to adevice which fans the edges of a plurality of cards across a fanning barlocated centrally of the device.

While it is old in the art to provide devices for shuffling cards, bothby the rotating roller method and by the fanning method, diificulty hasalways been experienced in the latter because of the engagement of theends of the cards with each other, thereby interrupting the fanningoperation. Different types of shuflling devices of the fanning type weresold in the trade but all of these proved unsatisfactory because thecard edges moved into locking engagement with each other.

The present card shuffling device has overcome this difficulty byshaping the farming bar in a desired manner relative to a support forthe cards which tilts the cards relative thereto and which prevents edgeengagement. The device embodies a base portion, preferably having spacedlegs on the bottom side and having a fanning bar on the upper side. Thefanning bar has two portions which align the two groups of cards inholders mounted on plates which are pivoted to the base member andextend beneath projecting flanges on the fanning bar. As the plates areturned, the edges of the cards pass across another area of the fanningbar which is closer to the pivot than the first area, tothereby causethe cards to bend. The cards are slightly tilted since they rest uponthe flange along the bottom edge of the fanning bar and the fanning baris tapered from a thicker base to a thinner top to cause the bottomcorners of the cards to be further bent so that they will move from theend of the fanning bar with a snap action. This will prevent the cardfrom engaging an opposite card coming ofl? at the same time because ofthe snap action of both corners since only a point engagement couldoccur between the adjacent tilted edges. As a result, no particular careneed be taken as to the manner of loading the cards into the cardreceiving receptacles or in operating the plates supporting thereceptacles for moving the cards across the surfaces of the tanning bar.The receptacles are preferably of a width so that each may receive oneand a half decks of cards when a three-deck pack is to be shuflled, andmeans are provided whereby two packs or a single pack may also beshuflied in the device.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide a cardshuifiing device with card receiving receptacles which are pivoted tocarry cards past a fanning bar to fan the corners of the cardsthereacross; to provide receptacles for the cards which support thecards at an angle to the vertical and to the face of the fanning bar sothat the major bend in the card occurs at the bottom forward cornerthereof; to provide a snap action to the bottom corner edges of thecards as they are fanned from the fanning bar to cause them to overlapwith each other rather than to move into and remain in edge-to-edgerelationship with each other, and, in general, to provide a cardshuffling device which is simple in construction, positive in operation,and economical of manufacture.

t :1v States Paten Other objects and features of novelty of theinvention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent whenreferring, for a better understanding of the inven= tion, to thefollowing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a card shufliing device shown inloading position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFig. 1, taken on the line 22 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1,shown in card shuflling position; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFig. 1, taken on the line 4-4 thereof;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, takenon the line 5-5 thereof;

Fig. 6 is a reduced plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig.1, taken on the line 77 thereof;

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the parts employed in the structureillustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a broken view of structure, similar to that illustrated inFig. 6, showing another form thereof;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFig. 4, taken on the line 1010 thereof;

Fig. 11 is a bottom view of structure similar to that illustrated inFig. 6, showing extended supporting means therefor;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged, broken sectional view of the structureillustrated in Fig. 11, taken on the line 12-12 thereof;

Fig. 13 is a view in elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 11,as viewed from arrow 13;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the card shuffling device, similar tothat illustrated in Fig. 1, showing another form thereof;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged broken view of structure, similar to thatillustrated in Fig. 14, showing a further form of the invention;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFig. 15, taken on the line 16-16 thereof; and

Fig. 17 is an enlarged, broken sectional view of the structureillustrated in Fig. 15, taken on the line 17-17 F thereof.

The card shuffling device of the present invention comprises a basemember 20, having fiat side areas 21 and 22 upon which the quadrants 23and 24 are secured for arcuate movement on pivots 25. At the forwardedge of the base member 20, a raised portion 26 is provided, while asimilar raised portion 27 is located adjacent to the pivots 25 to reducethe area of engagement between the bottom of the quadrants 23 and 24 andsurface of the flat portions 21 and 22. A further raised portion 28 islocated at the forward edge of the base member 20 which is aligned withthe quadrants 23 and 24 and which supports a stop block 29. The stopblock limits the degree of movement of the cards as the quadrants aremoved forwardly.

At the rear end of the plate 20, a fanning bar 31 is provided havingfaces 32 which are disposed parallel to the rear wall of the cardreceptacles 33 which are supported by the quadrants 23 and 24. The faces32 accurately align the cards in the receptacles when they are beingloaded therein. A second pair of faces 34 is located at the sides of thefanning bar which is closer to the pivots 25 than the faces 32 so thatthe cards will be bent as they are advanced by the rotation of thereceptacles about the pivots. The sides of the fanning bar at the endthereof have a pair of faces 35 which slope toward each other from thebottom to the top thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. At the baseof the fanning bar,

ledges 36 extend outwardly for receiving the end of the card which, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 4, tilts the forward edges of the cards tohave them disposed at an angle to the vertical. As will be noted in Pig,4-, the corner portions 37 are bent a substantial amount to produce asnap action to the corners as the cards are moved from the end of thefanning bar, to thereby have the cards overlap each other.

The sectors 23 and 24 have arcuate corrugated mated edges 38 which actas teeth to retain the two sectors accurately positioned relative toeach other. A knob 39 is secured to the forward end of each sector bywhich the sectors are pulled forwardly to rotate the receptacles 33about the pivots 25 and thereby simultaneously fan the two half decksfrom the end of the fanning bar 31 into shufiled relation with eachother. The cards are prevented from moving from overlapped position bythe stop block 29 against which the foremost card engages as the tanningoperation proceeds. This relationship of the cards to the block isclearly shown in Fig. 3 which illustrates the advanced position of thesectors after the fanning operation. It will be noted that the twoterminal ends 41 of the sectors abut each other and therefore form astop to limit further forward movement. In the same manner the arcuateportions 42 at the forward end of the sectors abut each other and limitthe return movement of the sectors. The ends 41 remaining under theledges 36 maintain the pivots 25 within theapeitures in the base 20, andthrough the deflection of the material of the sectors, the pivots 25 areassembled within the apertures 43 after the ends 41 have been insertedbeneath the ledges 36. No means are required, therefore, to maintain thepivots 25 within the apertures.

The receptacles 33 are of a width to permit one and a half decks ofcards to be placed therein when three decks are employed, as in aCanasta game. A filler block 44 is provided for reducing the width ofthe receptacles so that each receptacle will support a single deck ofcards employed when two decks are used in a game. The filler block asherein illustrated has a tongue -15 in the wall 46 thereof and thereceptacle has a slot 47 and a pivot 43 molded therein so that thetongue 45 may be heated and bent around the pivot 48, as illustratedmore specifically in Fig. 5. In this manner, the block 44 may be eitherswung outwardly so that the full width of the receptacle is availablefor a deck and a half of cards, or swung inwardly when a single deck ofcards is to be supported therein.

As will be noted in Figs. 4 and 10, a spring 4-9 has one end 51 securedto one of the pivots 25. the opposite end abutting an extending wallportion 52, the spring being so disposed with relation to the pivot thatwhen the quadrants 23 and 24 are pulled forwardly, the spring is furtherteusioned so that when the knobs 39 are released, the sectors will bereturned to their initial position by the action of the spring. Thus,the entire shuttling device is composed of three members, as illustratedin the exploded view of Fig. 8. the base member and the two sectors 23and 24. As pointed out above, the two sectors are assembled on the baseby first inserting the ends 41 beneath the ledges 36, after which theopposite ends of the rcceptacles are raised sutiiciently to slide thepivots across the corners of the base member until they snap into theapertures 43 where they will be retained in assembled position.

In Fig. 9, a slotted block 53 is illustrated which may be employed inplace of the ller block id which eliminates the necessity of providingthe slot 47 and pivot 43 in the receptacles and the heating and bendingof the tongues 45 about the pivots. The block slides along the wall 46beneath the top roiled edge 54, the block having a slot 55 whichreceives the wall. it will be noted that one side 56 or" the block is ofa thickness to leave a place within the receptacle for a full deck ofcards, while the opposite side 57 leaves a space within the receptaclefor a half deck of cards. When a deck and a half of cards are to be usedin the receptacle, the two blocks 53 may be slipped upon the end of thefanning bar 31 in a recess 58 provided therein, the blocks beingillustrated in broken lines.

The bottom side of the base 20, as illustrated in Fig. 11, is providedwith supporting legs 61 at the four corners and with further supportinglegs 62 and 63 centrally thereof. Preferably the supporting legs are sodisposed as to provide spaces 64 and 65 for receiving portions of a deckof cards as play proceeds. The width 66 between the corner legs 61 issuch as to receive a card when placed on the pack, with the length ofthe card extending to the left or right, as viewed in the figure. Itwill be further noted in the figure that the pivot 25 having the spring49 thereabout may be enclosed in an apertured housing 67 molded in thebase 20 to hide the spring from view. It will also be noted that thetops of the knobs 39, the receptacles 33 and the fanning bar 31 are alldisposed in the same plane which, when inverted, sup ports the device,with the legs 61, 62 and 63 extending upwardly, as illustrated in Figs.11 and 13.

In Fig. 14, a further form of invention is illustrated, that wherein acover 68 is secured by hinges 69 to the base 29, the hinges beingsimilar to the hinges formed by the tongues 45 hereinabove described. Anextension '71 is located at the front end of the base portion 20 so asto provide an area 72 in which the cards may be stored, as illustratedin broken line in Fig. 15. An upstanding wall 73 is provided on theextending portion 71, having a central finger 74 and projections 75 andshoulders '76 on each side thereof. When three decks of cards areemployed, their edges will span the distance between the shoulders 76and the central finger '74 will divide the three decks into two halves.When two decks are employed, the thickness will span the distancebetween the projections 75 so that the finger 74 can divide the twodecks into two equal parts. In this manner, the cards may be dividedinto two equal packs, one for each receptacle. The top of the cover 68is provided with similar corner legs 61 and central dividing partitions77 to provide the two areas 64 and 65 of a size to receive the cards.The quadrants 23 and 24 have projecting dowels 78 rigidly securedthereto for limiting the movement of the cards after they are fannedfrom the end of the fanning bar 31, to thereby retain them in overlappedposition. The dowels function in the same manner as the fixed block 29illustrated and described hereinabove with regard to the structureillustrated in Fig. 1. If the block 2) were located in the same positionas illustrated in Fig. 1, it would be within the area 72 and wouldprevent the cards from being stored therewithin.

In Figs. 15 and 16 -a movable stop block 79 is illustrated as beingemployed in place of the two dowels 78. The block 79 is mounted within aslot 81 of the base member 20 and is provided with an extending portion32 containing a slot 83 in each side which receives the webs 84 eachside of the slot 81. An aperture 35 is provided at one end of the slot81 of a size to receive the portion 82 which has the slots thereofshifted over the webs 84. When the cards are being shufiied, the blockis moved downwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 15, and when thearea 72 has the cards stored therein, the block 79 is moved upwardly, asshown in broken lines in the figure. In any of the forms of the deviceherein illustrated, the fanning of the cards occurs in a positive mannerdue to the tilted position of the cards when rested on the ledges 36 andthe shape of the side surfaces 32, 34 and 35 of the fanning bar. Thesurface 32 aligns the cards squarely in the receptacles, as illustratedin Fig. and the surfaces 34 cause the entire pack to be bent in anopposite direction from the advancing movement of the sectors when thehandles 39 are pulled toward the operator. The end surfaces 35 bend theends of the cards a substantial amount to cause a snap action of theends as the cards leave the fanning bar. This causes the cards to moveinto overlapped relation rather than into end-to-end abutting relation,as has occurred heretofore. The two parts of the deck are fannedsimultaneously due to the interrelation of the corrugated or toothededges 38, the amount of movement being limited by the stop portions 41and 42 at opposite ends of the mated portions. Filler blocks may beemployed for changing the internal width of the card receivingreceptacles to conform to the number of decks to be shuttled, the one ofFig. being pivoted at the top, the one illustrated in Fig. 9 beingslipped upon the side Wall from the end thereof, while the oneillustrated in Fig. 14 utilizes a vertical pivot 86 which permits theblock to swing in extension of the wall 46 or to swing within the areaof the receptacle for reducing the Width thereof. Feet are provided onthe bottom of the device which produce a rigid support for the devicewhen the cards are being shutfied, permitting the pivots 25 to extenddownwardly a substantial distance from the under side of the baseportion 20. By providing such a length to the pivots, the sectors :aremaintained assembled on the base plate after the pivots drop within theapertures 43 thereof. The legs also function as card receiving areaswhen the device is supported on the tops of the knobs, receptacles andthe fanning bar in inverted position from the position in which thecards are shuffled. Thus, a very simple card shufiling device isprovided made from a minimum number of castings, three in number in thedevice illustrated in Figs. 1 to 13 inclusive, four parts being employedwhen the cover 68 is utilized, as illustrated in Fig. 14. Not only is asimply constructed device provided, but the device has a positive actionso that rarely are the cards blocked by moving into endto-endrelationship. While corrugated types of teeth are shown on the twosectors, it is to be understood that such teeth may be of any form whichretains the two sectors in predetermined relation to each other and tothe tanning bar. In Fig. 14 it will be noted that the length of the'face 35 on the right-hand side of the fanning bar 31 is shorter thanthe face 35 on the left-hand side thereof, as viewed in the figure. Thisoffsets the edge 88 rearwardly from the comparable edge on the left-handside a fraction of the thickness of a card to avoid having a card fromeach receptacle leave the end of the fanning bar simultaneously. Thesame effect is obtained in the structure of Fig. 1

by having the receptacles 33 so interlocked relating to each other thata card from one receptacle passes from the end of the fanning bar afraction of a thickness of a card ahead of a card from the otherreceptacle. In either of the arrangements, the cards are furtherprevented from moving into interlocked relation with each other whichwould interrupt the shuffling operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A card shufiling device comprising a substantially flat base member,an upstanding fanning bar on a central portion of said base and havingside faces, a pair of sectors pivoted to said base on opposite sides ofsaid fanning bar and having card receptacles thereon, and meansinterconnecting said sectors for enforcing simultaneous pivotal movementthereof, each of said side faces having a flange substantially parallelto but spaced from said base member, each of said sectors beingsubstantially flat and each having an arcuate edge portion adjacent saidfanning bar and underlying its corresponding flange, each sector havinga pintle thereon outwardly of said flange, and openings in said basemember, said pintles projecting downwardly into said openings to pivotsaid sectors to said base member. 7

2. A card shuffling device as defined in claim 1, Wherein said fanningbar has an upper surface generally parallel to the upper face of saidbase, the other face of said base having spaced support membersextending downwardly therefrom, the said upper surface of said fanningbar and the upper edges of said receptacle-s lying in a single planewhereby said device may be selectively inverted and stably supported bysaid fanning bar and receptacles, on a supporting surface, with saidspaced members uppermost.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS205,030 Ash June 18, 1878 1,885,276 McKay Nov. 1, 1932 1,955,926Matthaey Apr. 24, 1934 2,649,305 S'choultz Aug. 18, 1953 2,711,319Morgan et al. June 21, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,016 Great Britain Feb. 11,1893 27,568 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1910

